Fire-extinguishing apparatus.



NO. 780,073. PATENTEI) mm. 1-7, mm. 0. A, TEAL.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.18,1903.

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No. 780,073. PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905. 0* A. TEAL.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING- APPARATUS.

APPLIOA'IION FILED AUG.18,1903.

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WITNESSES:

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PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

G. A. TEAL.

APPLIUATION FI'LED AUG.18,1903.

FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.-

Patented January 17, 1905.

tluiii n STATES PATENT -OFFICE.

CHARLES A. TEAL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO E.

CLINTON Rl-IOADS, TRUSTEE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FBPE EXTINGUlESHING APPARATUS SPECIFIGA TION forming part of LettersPatent No. 780,073, dated January 17, 1905.

Ai iphcation filed August 18, 1903- Serial No. 169,876.

To (ti/Z 1071,0171 7112 iii/a7 concern.-

Be it known that I,CiiA1iLns A. TEAL, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,of which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a building equipped withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on lines: I Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a sectional plan View, the upper floor being broken away. Fig. is adetail, enlarged, of one of the weighted levers in side elevation; Fig.5, a sectional end elevation of the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for extinguishing lires in buildingsby means of carbon dioXid which is liberated through mechanisni that isadapted to be automatically put in operation by the separation of afusible connection that is melted or softened by the heat of a fireoccurring in the building.

The main object of the invention is to provide, in connection with suchapparatus, means and mechanism whereby suitable doors or windows or thelike of the building or a room thereof are caused to be automaticallyclosed to prevent the escape of the carbon dioXid, 3 which mechanism isset in operation through the burning or fusion of a suitable connectionon the occurrence of a lire within the building or room.

The precise nature of the invention will clearly appear from thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the building in which the apparatusis installed. 4 On the lower floor A, or it may be termed a basement orcellar, is a tank or receptacle 2, that is charged with carbon dioxid orother suitable lire-extinguishing gas under pressure, from which tankleads a pipe 3 to an upper story or room B of the building. This pipecommunicates with a horizontal pipe 4:, near the ceiling of the room,from the ends of which pipe extend pipes 5, having exit-orifices for thegas. WVithin pipe 3 is a valve 6, siinilar to a safety-valve, which ismaintained normally closed by a weight 7 on the free end of an arm 8,that is pivoted on the valve-box and passes through a slot on the stemof the valve. Secured to said lever, in this instance to an eye 9 on theweight, is a chain or other nonflammable connection 10, that passes overa roller 11, under a roller 12 and over a roller 13 adjacent to theceiling of the room B and is secured to an arm 1 1, projecting from atransverse horizontal shaft 15, which is journaled in brackets 16, Fig.2, depending from the ceiling of the room.

Mounted loosely upon said shaft is a bell-crank lever 17, having a shortarm 18 and a long arm 19, carrying a weight 20 at its free end. The saidshort hereinafter explained.

To the short arm 18 of said lever is secured one end of a fusible rod orconnection 23, in this instance by an intervening chain or the like 24,that passes over a roller 25.

The other end of the fusi ble rod may be fastened to the wall of theroom; but in this case (for a purpose hereinafter described.) it isconnected by a chain 26, passing around a roller 26", to the short arm26 of a bell-crank lever 27,

which is a duplicate of lever 17, and is mounted on a shaft 28 similarto shaft 15 on the opposite side of the room and parallel with thelatter.

This lever 27 also has a pawl engaging a ratchet-Wheel on the shaft,similar to the same parts in connection with lever 17.

(Shown in Figs. t and At intervals along shafts 15 and 28 are othersimilar or supplemental bell-crank levers 29, with like pawls andratchets, thoselevers, &c., on one shaft being opposite those on theother,

and thereby forming pairs.

Said other levers on shaft 28 are shown in Fig. 3 and those on shaft 15iii .Eig. 2. Eusible rod connections 31 connect the short arms of thelevers of the pairs in the same manner as that connecting the end levers17 and 27.

These several connections, respectively, maintain opposite levers in therestrained potential positionthat is to say, with their weighted longarms directed inwardly and horizontally, as shown.

At the side, or as in this instance at the opposite sides of the room13, are transverselypivoted windows or sashes 32, each of which isadapted to be opened and closed by a device such as is frequently usedfor a like pur pose in connection with transoms, the same consisting ofa vertically-slidable rod 33,which is connected to the window by a leverconnection comprising an arm 34:, pivoted on said rod and pivotallyconnected with an arm 35, projecting from the window. One end of a chain36, Figs. 1 and 3, that passes over a roller 37, is secured to the upperend of the slidable rod 33 and its other end to an arm 38, Figs. 1 and3, that is fixed upon the shaft 28. There are similar arms 38 on shaft15, that are in like manner, respectively, connected with the slidablerods 33 for the windows on that side of the room.

39, Fig. 1, is a door with spring-hinges that tend to maintain the doorin the closed position shown. When it (the door) is opened out, itsupper edge, or in this instance a projection 410 thereon, is adapted toengage a hook or catch 11 on the free end of an arm 42 of a bell-cranklever 43, the other arm, 1 1, of which is connected by a chain 45 withan arm 16 on shaft 15, said bell-crank being pivoted to a bracket 4E3,projecting from the wall of the room. The said catch locks the door inthe open position against the stress of the springhinges.

Should a fire occur, the door and the windows being then in the openposition and the bell-crank levers on shafts 15 and 28 and theirconnections being in the position shown in the drawings and any one ofthe fusible rods 23 or 31 become severed thereby, the said levers thathad been held by the rod being thus released, their weighted armsdescending cause the respective shafts 15 and 28 to rotate, whereuponthe arm 14, drawing upon the chain 10, which is also attached to thevalvearm 8, raises the latter, and consequently the valve, and permitsthe flow of the. carbon dioxid, which finally escapes into the roomthrough the openings in the pipes 5 and extinguishes the fire within theroom. At the same time the arms 38 of the respective shafts 15 and 28 asthey rotate draw upon the chains 36, and so slide up the rods 33, andthus close the windows 32. Also the arm 16 on shaft 15, drawing back thechain 45, connecting said arm and the bell-crank 43, raises the hookarm42, thereby releasing the door 39, to be closed by its spring-hinges. Itwill be obvious that the rotation of the shafts 15 and 28 occurring whenone or more of the fusible rods is severed does not affect the remainingrods and bell crank levers, as the shafts merely turn in the latter. Itwill also be seen that the said windows and door may be readily openedand closed by the hand without interfering with the devices for causingthe same to close automatically when a fire occurs, as hereinbeforedescribed.

The apparatus for extinguishing a fire occurring in a room C below roomB is substantially identical with that for the latter room, andtherefore does not require particular description, 4C7 being thegas-charged tank, similar to tank 2, from which leads a pipe 48 b033,pipe 49 adjacent to the ceiling of the room and having branch pipes 50with orifices for the escape of the gas. 51 is the valve in pipe 48, tothe weightedarm of which valve is secured a chain 52, that is connectedto an arm 53 on a shaft 54, upon which are mounted bell crank levers 55,similar to the levers on shafts 15 and 28. A like shaft 56 on the otherside of the room has like bellcrank levers 57, and the opposite leversare connected by fusible rods 58. I have shown, however, by way ofillustration in connection with the apparatus in this room C, Fig. 1,windows or shutters 59 and also a door 60 of forms differing somewhatfrom the described windows and door in room B and suitable means forcausing the automatic closure of said shutters and door through therotation of the shafts 5 1 and 56, occurring when one or Referring firstto the said shutters, these are in the present instance at each side ofthe room, as shown. They are in pairs and pivoted to the window-frame,so as to open inwardly, and have spring-hinges tending to maintain themin the closed position. When opened out, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 and atone side of Fig. 1, they are respectively held in that position byhorizontal bars 61, that are secured to arms 62, whose inner ends arepivoted to the upper part of the window-casing. Projecting from each ofsaid bars is an arm 63, Figs. 1 and 3, whose free end is adapted to beengaged by a hook 64 (clearly seen in Fig. 1) at the end of an arm 65,which is pivoted to and depends from a horizontallyextending arm 66,that is fixed to the shaft 56. Each of bars 61 is provided on the underside with lugs or projections 61 that are adapted to engage the uppermargin of the shutters when in the open position, as more clearly seenin Fig. 2. These lugs are also beveled inwardly, as seen in said figure,so that when the shutters are opened out they will by impinging againstsaid beveled part push up the bars, which latter then fall back, and thelugs then look the shutters in place. Vhen, however, the shaft 56 iscaused to rotate through the fusion of one of the rods 58, as described,the hooked arm 63 will obviously raise the said bars 61 and releasingthe shutters the latter will be closed by their spring-hinges. Theshutters may be readily closed by the hand by merely lifting up the moreof the fusible rods 58 become fused.

arm 63 sufiiciently to cause the bar 61 to release the shutters, whichthen close automatically.

The door above referred to is a sliding or rolling door, the same havingat the top projecting pieces 68, at the free ends of which are rollers69, that are supported on an in clined guideway or bar 70, whereby whenthe door is in the open position (that is, elevated) it will whenreleased close by its gravity. It is held in the open position, asshown, by a latch-bar 71, that is pivoted at 7 2 to the side of thedoor, this bar having a lug 73 on its under side that when the door isopened engages over a projection or stud 7 4, that projects from thewall of the room. 75 is a pin that is adapted to slide vertically ineyes or staples 76, fixed to said wall, and has at its lower end a hook77, that is adapted to engage the under side of the free outer end ofthe bar 71. A chain 78, passing over a roller 79, connects said pin withan arm 80, which projects from the shaft 56. When one of the fusiblerods 58 is severed and the said shaft thus caused to rotate, the arm 80,drawing upon the chain, causes the pin 75 to lift the bar 71 anddisengage lug 7 3 from stud 7 whereupon the door rolls down to theclosing position. The door may be released by the hand when desired. Tothis end for convenience I extend the bar 71 forward beyond its pivotand provide a projecting handle 81 on its free end for operating thedoor and also the bar 71. A stop 82 limits the throw of the bar in onedirection and a stop 83 in the opposite direction.

Various other constructions of windows, shutters, and doors adapted tobe closed automatically by the release of the weighted bell-crank leverson rotatable shafts, occurring from the destruction of the fusibleconnections holding the levers restrained. may be used in lieu of thoseshown in the drawings. As will be understood, the purpose of havingdoors, shutters, or the like adapted to close automatically through theseverance of one or more of the fusible connections is to prevent theescape from the room of the fire-extinguishing gas, yet which doors maybe operated manually without impairing the integrity of the connectionsbetween them and the parts which cause or permit them to closeautomatically, as described.

It is necessary or desirable that the air within the room equipped withthe apparatus shall be allowed to escape when the heavierlire-extinguishing gas is permitted to enter the room. To this end Iprovide at or near the top of room B a suitable exit-pipe 84, Figs. 1and 2, leading outside the building and having oriiices therein, also asimilar pipe (not shown) in the upper part of room C.

In order to cause an alarm to sound when a fire occurs in the building,I provide an electric hell that is adapted to be caused to soundimmediately upon the fusion of one of the fusible rods, which bell maybe located either in or adjacent to the building or at any desired pointdistant therefrom. I have shown such a bell placed within the room A ofthe building, the same being shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and marked86. This bell is in circuit which is normally opened, but is adapt ed tobe closed when one of said fusible rods 58 is severed by an arm 87 onthe shaft 56, which the rotation of the latter carries against thepush-button 88, as indicated by the dotted outline of said arm, therebyclosing the electric circuit and causes the bell to ring. There may beone of these alarm-bells for each room or a single bell adapted in likemanner to be sounded by means of suitable connections when any of thefusible connections of any of the rooms of the building become severedby the heat of a fire occurring in such room.

I do not limit myself to the iarticular construction shown andhereinbefore described, as any one skilled in the art to which theimprovement pertains may vary the same without departing from theessential principles of the invention.

1 do not claim flier se the combination of the rotatable shafts, thebell crank levers mounted thereon, and the fusible connections securedto said levers, as the same are shown and described in United StatesLetters Patent No. 7 24,968, issued to me as assignor, &c. April 7,1903, for a fire extinguishing apparatus; but

WVhat I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a fire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a tank forcontaining a fireextinguishing agent, of a pipe leading from said tankinto the interior of a room or building, a valve in said pipe adapted tonor- I mally close the latter, rotatable shafts arranged at oppositesides of the room or build ing, aseries of weighted levers looselymounted on said shafts, the levers of one shaft being arranged oppositeto the levers of the other shaft and forming pairs, a fusible connectionarranged between the levers of each pair to maintain the levers of thepair in restrained position, an arm fixed to one of said shafts, aconnection between said arm and said valve to open the latter when theshaft is rotated, doors, shutters or the like at the sides of the roomor building, means tending to maintain the same in closed position,releasable means for locking the same in open position, and connectionsbetween said locking means and the shafts for actuating the releasingmeans when the shafts are rotated to permit the doors, shutters or thelike closing.

2. In a iire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination with a tank forcontaining a lireextinguishingagent, of a pipe leading from said tankinto the interior of a room or building, branch pipes connected to saidpipe and having distributing-orifices for the eXit of the extinguishingagent, a valve in said pipe adapted to normally close the latter,rotatable shafts arranged at opposite sides of the room or building, aseries of weighted levers loosely mounted on said shafts and havinglever-andratchet connections with said shafts, the levers of one shaftbeing arranged opposite to the levers of the other shaft and formingpairs, a fusible connection arranged between the levers of each pair tomaintain the levers of the pair in restrained position, an arm fixed toone of said shafts, a connection between said arm and said valve to openthe latter when the shaft is rotated, doors, shutters,

CHARLES A. TEAL.

Witnesses:

YVILLIAM E. CHAPMAN, WVALTER C. PUSEY.

